The Sussex Beacon

What The Sussex Beacon does

The Sussex Beacon is a UK-registered charity (No. 298388) and company limited by guarantee (No. 2205876), founded in 1992 and headquartered at 10 Bevendean Road, Brighton. It provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care, plus community-based support services, for people living with HIV across Sussex, and is positioning itself to become the UK's first dedicated LGBTQ+ hospice with HIV specialism under its Lighting the Way 2026-2030 strategy. Service lines include an inpatient Clinical Care Unit (6 beds for HIV palliative care, closed January 2025 and scheduled to reopen 23 March 2027), Community HIV Support Services (casework, peer mentoring, weekly group sessions, a Positive Fitness physiotherapy-supervised class), Women and Families Services including a 9-year-running monthly women's group, a public-health Zero 2030 campaign, two Brighton charity shops (St James's Street and London Road Home Store) plus eBay sales, and an owned fundraising event portfolio led by the Brighton Half Marathon and the Team Beacon challenge-event programme.

The organisation is regulated by the Care Quality Commission, the Charity Commission, and the Information Commissioners Office, and works to British HIV Association (BHIVA) clinical standards. Its technology footprint is minimal and consists of standard charity-sector tools (website, social channels, JustGiving donation page, eBay storefront) — there is no proprietary platform, software product, or data product. Revenue is generated through individual donations, regular giving, community and challenge event fees, charity shop retail, and government/NHS grants (including a £92,000 capital grant administered by Hospice UK); all community services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. Go-to-market is community-led, with referrals from health and social care professionals, self-referrals, word-of-mouth, and outreach. Leadership is provided by CEO Rachel Brett with patrons Holly Johnson, Olly Alexander, and Jill Nalder OBE.

Name

The Sussex Beacon

Legal name

The Sussex Beacon

Website

https://sussexbeacon.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Sussex Beacon is a Brighton-based UK charity, founded 1992, delivering specialist HIV palliative care and community support across Sussex, evolving into the UK's first dedicated LGBTQ+ hospice with HIV specialism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HIV and LGBTQ+ Hospice and Community Healthcare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), Hospice & Palliative Respite Care (HSABAGAG)

Keywords

• HIV specialist care
• Hospice palliative services
• Community health support
• Charity fundraising events
• Charity retail shops

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, regular giving, and fundraising activities including challenge events (marathons, fire walks, sponsored runs). The charity has a fundraising goal of £2 million.
2. Charity Retail: Operation of two charity shops in Brighton (St James's Street and London Road Home Store) selling donated items. Also sells items via eBay online marketplace.
3. Event Participation Fees: Registration fees for challenge events including Brighton Half Marathon, London Marathon, Vitality London 10,000, Fire Walk, and other fundraising events. Fees typically range from free to £30 per event.
4. Government and NHS Funding: Contracted funding from NHS Sussex and Surrey. Received Government Capital Grants Programme funding (£92,000) administered by Hospice UK for building refurbishment. Previously received contracted funding that ended January 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Sussex Beacon is a registered hospice charity that provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care, community HIV support services, peer mentoring, casework, and women and families services free of charge to people living with HIV and LGBTQ+ communities in Sussex. It also operates community-based fundraising via its Team Beacon programme, the Brighton Half Marathon, and two Brighton charity shops, with a 6-bed clinical care unit planned to reopen on 23 March 2027.

Product overview

The Sussex Beacon offers a comprehensive portfolio of hospice, palliative care, and community support services for people living with HIV and LGBTQ+ communities. The organization operates a forthcoming inpatient Clinical Care Unit (reopening March 2027) providing 6 beds for HIV palliative care, alongside extensive Community HIV Support Services including Day Services, casework support, peer mentoring, and a Positive Fitness Class. Dedicated Women and Families Services provide specialized support including a monthly women-only group and integrated care with the Lawson Unit. The Zero 2030 campaign supports ending HIV transmissions by 2030. The organization also operates two charity shops in Brighton and runs the Brighton Half Marathon as its flagship fundraising event through the Team Beacon programme, supplemented by challenge events and volunteering opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Team Beacon: A fundraising initiative and community of people who run, volunteer, and fundraise to support The Sussex Beacon and people living with HIV across Sussex.

Products and services

• Clinical Care Unit Inpatient hospice and palliative care services providing 6 beds for HIV palliative care plus dedicated beds for the LGBTQ+ community. Originally opened in 1994, closed in January 2025, and scheduled to reopen on 23 March 2027 following refurbishment.
• Community HIV Support Services Day services with specialist caseworkers, weekly group sessions, casework support, and peer mentoring for people living with HIV across Sussex. Free at the point of use, accessed via self-referral or referral from health and social care professionals.
• Women and Families Services Specialist one-to-one casework, a monthly women-only support group, and collaborative working with the Lawson Unit Sunflower Clinic for integrated care including doctors, nurses, health advisers, and a women's caseworker in single visits.
• Positive Fitness Class Physiotherapy-supervised group exercise sessions designed to support people living with HIV, providing personalised exercises and educational support on HIV, general health, and physical activity.
• Peer Mentoring Programme Trained peer mentors matched one-to-one with people living with HIV to provide guidance, reduce stigma, foster connection, and reduce isolation.
• Charity Shops Two physical charity shops in Brighton (St James's Street and London Road Home Store) selling donated vintage fashion, books, DVDs, CDs, homewares, and furniture, plus online sales via eBay.
• Team Beacon Fundraising Programme Community fundraising initiative encompassing challenge events, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising activities including running events, skydives, and community events, supporting the charity's £2 million fundraising goal.
• Brighton Half Marathon Annual half marathon event owned by The Sussex Beacon, serving as the charity's flagship fundraising event and largest source of fundraising income.
• Volunteering Opportunities Volunteer roles including retail volunteers for charity shops, van driver's assistant, online/e-commerce retail assistant, donations sorting assistant, reception desk support, gardening, and peer support.
• Zero 2030 Campaign Campaign supporting the global goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 through advocacy, HIV testing promotion, U=U awareness, PrEP access, and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest HIV community service provider in Sussex
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sussex FreemasonscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTeam Beacon Headline Sponsor. Supports the charity's running and fundraising events programme. Provides sponsorship for challenge events including Brighton Half Marathon and other races.
• Glencairn ConsultingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTeam Beacon sponsor supporting the charity's fundraising events.
• Cin Cin HoveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant Partner for Team Beacon events, providing post-race refreshments and hospitality support.
• Leonardo HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTeam Beacon hotel sponsor for events.
• NHS Sussex and SurreycoreOthersContracted healthcare funding provider. The clinical unit closed in January 2025 when contracted funding ended, but NHS partners continued support during closure via Care Hub and enhanced community services.
• Hospice UKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministers the Government Capital Grants Programme (£125 million total for hospices). The Sussex Beacon received £92,000 from this programme for building refurbishment.
• The Lawson UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the UK's leading HIV care centres. The Sussex Beacon works closely with the Lawson Unit's Sunflower Clinic for Women, providing integrated care with Doctor, Nurse, Health Adviser, and Women's Caseworker available in single visits.
• Brighton & Hove City CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for health and wellbeing initiatives. Council provides resources and services to help residents improve health and wellbeing.
• Fast Track City PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sussex Beacon works collaboratively with Fast Track City partners to achieve zero HIV transmissions by 2030. This global initiative involves cities and organisations working together on testing, treatment, education, and prevention.
• Terrence Higgins TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading UK provider of HIV and sexual health services. Listed as a helpful resource for people living with HIV in Brighton and Hove area.
• Martin Fisher FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated to reducing stigma, preventing transmissions, and ensuring people living with HIV are treated with dignity. Working towards zero HIV.
• Lunch PositiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeer-led community organisation providing welcoming spaces for people living with HIV to connect. Listed as a helpful resource.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC)coreOthersRegulatory body that registers and regulates The Sussex Beacon as a hospice. Sets clear legal requirements and standards for safe, effective care.
• British HIV Association (BHIVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional body whose standards and guidelines The Sussex Beacon works to, ensuring clinical care reflects best practice.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Terrence Higgins Trust: Leading UK HIV and sexual health charity. Listed as a partner/resource by The Sussex Beacon. Both organisations serve people living with HIV across the UK with overlapping support, advocacy, and education missions, making them directly comparable peer nonprofits.
• Positive East: London HIV charity providing support services and the organiser of World AIDS Day RED RUN. Comparable HIV support and fundraising-event model to The Sussex Beacon.
• George House Trust: Manchester-based HIV charity providing support, advocacy, and wellbeing services for people living with HIV. Operates a comparable regional HIV support model to The Sussex Beacon, including casework and peer support — a strong direct peer for service-model comparison.
• Martin Fisher Foundation: Brighton-based HIV charity dedicated to reducing stigma, preventing transmissions, and working towards zero HIV. Shares Sussex catchment and HIV-prevention/advocacy mission.
• Sahir House: Liverpool-based HIV support charity offering practical and emotional support, counselling, and peer mentoring to people living with HIV. Comparable regional HIV support service portfolio to The Sussex Beacon.
• Lunch Positive: Brighton-based peer-led community organisation providing welcoming spaces for people living with HIV. Hyper-local peer sharing the Sussex catchment and the peer-led community-support model.

Others

• Hospice UK: National hospice membership and advocacy body that administers the Government Capital Grants Programme from which The Sussex Beacon received £92,000. Industry-association peer for funding-access benchmarking.
• Fast Track Cities Initiative: Global network of cities and organisations working towards zero HIV transmissions by 2030 — The Sussex Beacon is a Fast Track City partner in Brighton. Comparable as an HIV-prevention network participant, though not a service-delivery peer.

Broad incumbents

• Marie Curie: National UK hospice charity providing palliative and end-of-life care across multiple conditions. A broad incumbent in hospice/palliative care with much larger scale than The Sussex Beacon; relevant for benchmarking hospice operating models and NHS commissioning dynamics.
• St Christopher's Hospice: Pioneering London-based hospice and palliative care provider. Comparable on hospice service model and clinical-quality standards, though not HIV-specialist — relevant for benchmarking palliative-care operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thesussexbeacon
• Instagraminstagram.com/sussexbeacon
• Xx.com/sussexbeacon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sussex-beacon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sussex Beacon